Too much trouble with Azimuts

What model would that be?

We own an Azimut 50 and are generally quite happy with it.
With a few modifications made by us it now suits how we like to spend time on the water down here in NZ but you're right, I think there are a few things Azimut could improve on.

The electronics can sometimes be questionable, and I've also heard stories about the electrics on Italian motorcycles too. I heard someone once say buy a Ducati and send it to Germany for rewiring.

Nearly everything in the included (leather bound) manual from Azimut does not relate to the actual vessel. Things like locations of manifolds for the fresh water system etc. Obviously the boat design and some equipment has been updated since it's early design and they haven't bothered to update the manual which I do realize could be expensive for them to keep up to date but it could actually be hazardous if it gets much worse and they really should get someone to proof read the manual who is more fluent in the languages for the respective versions.

It's interesting you mention the rake on the windshield. We too have found the angle to be quite bad. We have the blue and cream colour scheme for our yacht and what we noticed was the reflection on the glass from the cream panels below the windshield impeded our vision for anything in our field of vision below the stainless safety railing outside. I removed the panels and had them colour matched to the blue of the surrounding panels by Colorglo ltd. They did a really good job and now it's as if we've applied polarizing glass to the windshield and they don't look too out of place.

What I also find pretty disappointing now is how difficult it is to correspond with Azimut when we need help from them for an issue onboard. We are on the other side of the planet and it feels our Azimut agent and broker doesn't get much more help than what we would from them either. It takes days to get a reply and it's often insufficient to fix the problem.

And now the boat is out of warranty they really can't be bothered dealing with us at all which really doesn't do much to improve the 'word on the street' about the boats.

It seems to me Azimut could actually be selling anything. What they are most concerned about selling and managing is the lifestyle associated with luxury yachting not the yachts themselves or existing owners.... or maybe 50ft. just isn't big enough to worry about.

But at the end of the day we're pretty stoked and are very grateful for invaluable advice from other Azimut owners prior to purchasing. All I would suggest for someone thinking of one and probably any boat is use the heck out of it in the first year. Get used to everything about the boat and get as many problems sorted within the warranty period as possible. Especially heavy things like black water pumps which would have cost as much as one just to fly it out here!

*****ing about the raked windshield cracks me up. The windshield was like that before you bought it, right?

(Going OT here for a sec...)
Right... because Bosch electrics are so much better than anything else out there. They beat Lucas, but only just barely.

I have managed 4 different Azimuts. A 70' Seajet, 2- 68' Plus' and a 50'. They are the most maintanence and repair heavy boats I have ever managed. Also ordering parts is a mission, then after waiting 3 weeks you end up with the wrong part and have to wait all over again. Rob at Marinemax (Surfside) in long Island is the best person to deal with. The electrical and the way they do things leaves a lot to be desired sometimes. The 50' was the easiest of the bunch because it doesn't have many systems.

The reason the manual doesn't match up with many things on the boat is because Azimut doesn't build a lot of the boat. They do the superstructure and machinery. Then they sub-contract the interior and electrical out to other people. None of the azimuts are alike even from hull to hull and it can be frustrating. I managed two 68's that were 2 hulls apart and nothing was even in the same location electrically. The 68's electrical is a nightmare.

Has anyone noticed the date of the original post. All of his (3) posts were made in 2006. I think this guy is long gone.

I am new to the boating world, I am looking to buy the Azimut 62s in a fe weeks thanks for the updates, and sharing the experience here..!

Well, as you can see, the thread never really changed directions over the years, and in reality, it's not likely to. If you're looking for a floating condo to run a couple hours here and a few hours there every now and again, it can work out, just don't try to get cheap on the repairs between the trips. Best way to have an Azimut is to have a skilled, skinny captain/engineer with a bit of OCD who fixes all the little things before they become big things.

Or, buy a boat that has some engineering and forethought put into it.
The same could be said about the 36m Benetti we had. Ran great when she did, but we cringed anytime there was an electrical or plumbing issue. Nothing was easy to fix on that boat. God for bid you had to order something from the factory.

Good riddance when she sold.

Right, but that would preclude an Azimut and most Italian boats, "but look how beautiful it is..."

The 50' I was managing, they had to do some exhaust warranty on. I pointed out that the gelcoat underneath all of the flybridge seats had bubbles/blisters in it (moisture) to the Azimut USA factory rep. He told me that it was my fault and not a warranty issue because I didn't remove all of the flybridge cushions and store them inside (even though the boat had a 3 sided enclosure) when we weren't using the boat. It takes two people to get them off of the flybridge and there are a ton of them, that would fill the entire salon. I then told him, that in the ten years of working on yachts and that I managed 10 different yachts that I've never had that issue with boats from Searay's, Regals, to Hatteras', Cabo's, and Viking's. He didn't like that answer too much and ended up covering it.

And a lot of English built boats in the Azimut size and class are the same way regarding warranty and parts. However, Viking USA, has taken the bull by the horns for their Viking SC's and stocks all of the parts and are a real pleasure to deal with in that class. I've had really bad experiences with Sunseeker on both warranty items and ordering parts and so forth just like Azimut.

Surfside Marinemax (new york) is a great place to order Azimut parts from. Rob in parts is on the ball, very knowledgable of all of the parts, and they stock a lot of parts. I got to where I bypassed Allied and ordered everything from him and had it shipped down.

The 62S is a great boat IMO and has also one of the most spacious engine rooms for its size and style. Cant tell you much about the ride as I only visited one in a boat show.

Other similar sized boats you could look are Sunseeker 64 Predator, Princess (Viking) V62, Aicon 62 Open, Uniesse 65 Sport, and Cranchi's new 64 HT.
Surprisingly there is not much similar US competition in this size accept for the 610 Sundancer. But I also would look at the Tiara 5800 Sovran and the Riviera 5800 Sport Yacht (63ft LOA).
If you want to spend more cash and like more speed you can also look at the Pershing 64.
For seakeeping and quality I would look to Uniesse 65 Open, for best after sales here in Europe few manage to beat Cranchi, and for space I think the Aicon 62 Open is the best. All in my modest opinion.

My experience with Azimut parts is about a month to 2 waiting. The worst time to order IMO is in January when most staff is in vacation.
Capt J I think since the Ferretti take over Azimut is represented by MarineMax in the USA? At least they don't figure anymore in the Allied website.
I also don't understand the floating condo remark I have been in Force 5 seas with 7 foot waves for a 100 mile trip to the nose with a 55 and it did handle quite well and about 20 knots of speed altough a bit wet. But we drove from down stairs and it not affect us at all . I also was a crew on an 85 Ultimate in a Force 7 to 8 gale wind seas three hundred miles trip and at 18 knots it was also very comfortable considering the captain was a naval one who had few experience with a planning boat.
May be I am used to smaller boats but I find these boats very good to what they do....

Sexy sells long before functionally sound does.

Neptunus builds a 55' Royale that is a terrific boat in the same class and is an express and enclosed like a predator.

Liam, yes Marinemax is the Azimut dealer for most of the US as far as I know. There are exceptions where MarineMax doesn't have a dealership. Surfside MarineMax has long been an Azimut dealer for NY. I know when Feretti tookover allied, Azimut then went to MarineMax's pompano location as well as Hatteras (from the now defunct Pier 66 MM). Cabo then went from HMY to Pier 66 MM to MarineMax's miami location in Coconut Grove.

You also have Azimut's US office and warehouse off of MarinaMile, but the customer service there is so-so and you have to order it through a dealer anyways, but can pick up the parts there if they have them in stock. It seems like Azimut owners go through lots of props, shafts and water pumps (fresh/grey/black) because they have loads of them in stock and not too much else.

Rolly is where most of the warranty repairs are done in South Florida for Azimut warranty service and they do fabulous work. Better then the factory in a lot of areas.

Hmm.....that usually is the case with anything sexy isn't it, lust takes over and blinds one to what really lies just beneath the surface (jaws theme...with fin breaking the surface). And somehow there is always a financial and emotional cost to it, when all we wanted in the first place was just to be satisfied.

Really glad to have read this forum on Azimut, just saw a 75 flybridge hardtop beauty today, but after reading this, it solidified my first love which is the Princess/Viking sport cruisers.

Cheers guys!

re:

that's amazing. funny that I was actually gonna make a post about yacht depreciation because today I was browsing Azimuts for sale and I saw a brand new Azimut 43 going for about 1,000,000 and then I saw the exact same model
just 2 years older and it was going for half that price, 500K. I was amazed at that kind of depreciation.

80% in 4 years almost seems like joke.

Bad reputation hurting them bad I guess, better yachts I'd gather don't depreciate that extremely. I will start to look at other makers

The 1,000,000 asking price is false as hell. I was quoted a new 43 for 550,000 EU ex taxes and optionals and deliverery in Varazze North Italy the fall of 2009.
Unless this guy has gold plated engines he is asking a peanuts price.

If you want to speak depreciation I like to speak facts.
My marina neibour had a 42 three cabin nearly full optional boat from 2001 he bought new for 400k EU VAT paid, and sold it for 300k in 2008, when he switched to a 47. I know also two other friends who had a 46 who actually made money from them, and another who had a 54 AZ from 2006 who got close to his money back after buying it used for about 500.000 EU in 1999, which he sold for 460,000 also in 2008. Another friend had a 55 from 2001 which he bught new for 720,000 and sold for 600,000 in 2007.
Needless to say all these boat where perfectly maintained, or had good maintenance.

For 1,000,000 EU or about 1.2 mill US$ u should get the new 53 not the 43....

What always amazes me is that boats are considered like autos rather than houses in a financial sense. Could anybody (other than those who bought property in '07/'08) imagine buying a house for $1M and having it be worth 500K just a few years later? Then they trade up on word that 'the payments will only be a few dollars more' with almost no thought to APR or debt load. Meanwhile the debt grows to a thoroughly upside down position. These 'successful' and 'intelligent' people then accept having the boat laid up for months waiting for parts and paying huge amounts for repairs (sometimes on just about every system on board). Hence the term "stupid" money. Being a drug addict would be cheaper and give more consistent use of the product.
Anybody considering the purchase of a boat should examine past resale performance and use their financial and logical heads (crunch the numbers) although that could cripple new boat sales for a few manufacturers.

hi

This is the page where I saw those boats listed at those prices:

http://www.boatxchange.com/pboats/browse/Make/AZIMUT/search.html